I read Conn Iggulden's series on Ghengis Khan. Four books of can't-put-it-down reading. Throughout the books I had a series of emotions: amazement, horror, inspiration, horror, sadness, horror, joy, thankfulness ...I felt amazement and inspiration at the wonder of this family that had been left with nothing, and yet survived. I felt horror at the brutality of the way in which they were abandoned.I felt sadness at the lives people lived, and how little joy they knew. I felt horror at the ease with which people killed.I felt horror time and time again - at times, it was because of the death of one person; at other times it was at the deaths of tens of thousands in a short space of time.Death and bloodshed were the order of the days. But what never stopped ringing in my heart throughout the whole series was a feeling of thankfulness for the place and era in which God has placed me. These words sum it up:

'The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places.

I have a goodly heritage.' (Psalm 16:6)

They really have. And I really do. Reading of lives lived without Christ, without the Gospel, without hope ... makes for difficult reading on one level, although reading this author's work is no chore. DR has his Emporer series lined up for me now.

* * *

Some of the books - like the Khan series - come to an end and I haven't lifted a pen once to mark any pages. Others, however, have a different story to tell!My copy of Jesus on Every Page looks like this ...

... with page after page of underlining, of filled post-it notes, and of marks and stars in the margins.Soon, I'm going to read this book again - straight through, with no stopping for further studying, no pausing to write my thoughts (I'll try and stick to this), and no back-and-fore to relevant sermons or articles elsewhere.

* * *

I'd read Selected to Live as a child. My childhood readings of some of the events in Nazi Germany spawned some of my present-day loves, hates, fears and hopes. The re-reading of this book once again made me wonder, 'How could this have happened?' - seriously, where was every decent-hearted citizen?

Would we act differently? - after all, there are more unborn babies being killed every year than there were Jews being killed, and yet we sleep at night.'How could they have been so accepting?' - was it because a different era from today's made people more accepting of authority? Is that why countless thousands quietly stepped out of their homes and onto trains? Or does the threat of death cause a numbness that will accept orders, unquestioningly? More questions than answers, I'm afraid. But reading of what was taking place in Germany in the 1930s and comparing it with what I see on mainland Europe, in the UK and in the US and other Western nations makes me fear for the future. I'm glad I can take that fear to the One who casts out fear. I'm glad the future is in HIS hands.But that does not mean we don't fight the encroachments to our liberties. We'd jolly well better fight - and fight with all our might. Otherwise, how can we face future generations but with shame at how we capitulated for the sake of peace and comfort?

* * *

Both Selected to Live and the Ghengis Khan series made me wonder at God's providence. In the historical note at the end of Empire of Silver, Iggulden says this:The third son of Genghis was great Khan for just twelve years, from AD 1229 to 1241. At a time when the Mongols were sweeping west into Europe, Ogedai's death would be one of the crucial turning points of history. Western Europe could not have stood against them. The medieval castles there were no more daunting than walled Chin cities, and in the field, the Mongol style of fast-striking tactical warfare would have been practically unstoppable. It is no exaggeration to say the future of the West changed when Ogedai's heart failed.The brilliant tactical manoeuvres of Liegnitz and the Sajo river were rendered void by the Mongol withdrawal. They are rarely taught outside military schools, in part because they did not lead on to conquest. Politics intruded on Tsubodai's ambition. If it had not, all history would have changed. There are not many moments in history when the death of a single man changed the entire world. Ogedai's death is one such moment. Had he lived, there would have been no Elizabethan age, no British Empire, no Renaissance, perhaps no Industrial Revolution. In such circumstances, this book could very well have been written in Mongolian or Chinese.I couldn't but read these words: "There are not many moments in history when the death of a single man changed the entire world" with something of a smile on my face. There was the death of a man two thousand years ago too. He died, not of heart failure, but because He had a heart to save His people. Ogedai's death was the end of his rule. But this man, Christ Jesus - His death, then resurrection, is the cause of his continuing rule. He will reign for ever and ever.God's plan of salvation is amazing - read about that in Jesus on Every Page - and God's works of providence are too. The Mongols were stopped from coming West. Our providence was to be very different for, after all, God had 'many people in this city' (Acts 18) and in these countries.And so, whether we're reading about the past, about our present, or about the future; about God's work of redemption and of creation, our hearts cannot but praise our God, from whom all blessings flow.

3 comments:

Thanks for sharing about the books. I would love to read the one by David Murray sometime, but right now I'm going through a book of select sermons by Ralph Erskine, as well as Scottish Christian Heritage by Iain Murray. Great stuff, too! Yes, we do need to do something about those freedoms. As Patrick Henry would say, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"

Oh I love book posts and now I am going to have to seek out "Selected to Live." And I love the Well-Educated Mind, it is my favourite dipper, it lives next to my desk and I read bits and pieces whenever I need homeschooling inspiration (as one does). David Murray's was a real thinker, loved digger deeper with it. And I have just discovered that Conn Iggulden writes more than the Dangerous Book for boys!!! I am reading the Wars of the Roses... what a life those folk lived, rough and wild and crazy really - how anyone survived is a bit of a mystery. I am not galloping through it... I have to read and pause as I digest the victories and horrors on either side of the English Channel as the book switches to and fro, and emotions rise and fall. I always think we would be living in the households of one of the leading characters and that was pretty terrifying, but most likely we would have been peasants run through by defeated and retreating soldiers on either side... not much in the way of home comforts, I daresay. So now because of you I will be off to the library... to discover the life of Ghengis Kahn, and most likely another era of history that I am really quite thrilled I won't have to experience first hand.

Anne, I love your 'love of history", and relate to your thirst for it. Somethings are harder than others for me to read, so I will admit that I can't always indulge the fullest in themand am probably not as well versed as you are in my history. We did watch the Ghengis Khan movie a while back.. our boy Nathan liked it; I will say that it gave me all of the same reactions as you had from the book.

Reading about the Nazi scenario will certainly bring a check in your thinking won't it… how did that happen and how do any of those things compare to today… is truly what we need to continue to ask. I share your thoughts and concerns. I have a difficult time reading about that bit of history as well. You would wonder that I can read history at all, considering how much blood shed and sorrow is all a part of the history of man… even the Bible is full of it. I am so thankful that we have a precious Savior who came into the world to redeem us. Have a great week Anne. So nice to catch up on your "doings". Love seeing what books you are reading. I, too, have quite a few drafts that need finishing/posting, so perhaps I will finish them. You are always very inspiring.Love and Blessings,Pam